This invention relates to a data recording apparatus, a data transfer method, a data transfer program and a recording medium, and a data transfer system, all of which are configured so as to transfer data stored in a recording medium to other equipment.
Since a long time ago, there has existed a video recorder configured so as to record video data and audio data (hereinafter, called AV (Audio/Video) data) on the basis of television broadcasts, etc., in a hard disk drive (HDD). In such video recorder, for example, analog video/audio signals output from a tuner are converted into digital video/audio signals, compression encode processing is applied thereto by use of a predetermined system, and thereafter, they are recorded in an HDD. As a compression encoding system, for example, MPEG2 (Moving Picture Experts Group 2) may be used.
In addition, in digital television broadcasting for which real broadcasting has started recently, AV data is converted into an MPEG TS (Transport Stream) format to be transmitted. In this case, it is possible to record the received MPEG TS format data in an HDD, without change. In case the AV data, which was recorded in an HDD, is further recorded in a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) configured so as to be recordable, it is preferable if the MPEG TS format data is converted into an MPEG PS format which can be reproduced by a DVD player. Japanese Published Application No. JP-A-2003-111023 describes such a configuration in which the MPEG TS format data is converted into the MPEG PS format data as it is recorded in a recording medium.
In recent years, information equipment has been developed in which a recording medium, such as a relatively high-capacity memory and a small size HDD, a display which can display color, an audio output unit and so on are incorporated in a housing reduced in size and weight so as to be easily portable, and AV data, which was stored in the memory, is reproduced such that video pictures are imaged on a display and audio is output. Examples of such equipment are a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and a portable telephone terminal.
With respect to such information equipment, in addition to its primary usage as information equipment, it conceivably may be used as a reproducing terminal apparatus in which AV data of day-old television broadcasts, etc. are stored in a recording medium in advance, and are viewed and listened to when commuting, when a destination has been reached and so on. For example, television broadcasts may be picture-recorded by a video recorder as described above, and the picture-recorded AV data may be transferred in advance to this information equipment. Hereinafter, such information equipment is referred to as a reproducing terminal apparatus.
In such reproducing terminal apparatus, there are limitations in the memory capacity and the capability of decoding video data. Accordingly, when transferring AV data from a video recorder to a reproducing terminal apparatus, it may be necessary to convert the compression encoding system of the AV data into a compression encoding system with a lower bit rate and a compression encoding system by which it is easier to carry out decoding.
In the meantime, a video recorder using conventional technology as described above has not been configured so as to convert AV data other than the AV data currently being listened to and viewed. Accordingly, when transferring AV data, which is different from the AV data which is currently being viewed and listened to, to a reproducing terminal apparatus, there has been a problem that viewing and listening to the current AV data is terminated, or a user has viewing and listening to the current AV data terminated, and then the transfer of the other AV data will be carried out. That is, in the conventional art, there has been a problem that it is necessary for a user to set aside time purposely in order to carry out the transfer of AV data to a reproducing terminal apparatus. This becomes a problem, in particular, when a tremendous amount of time is required for conversion of AV data.
In addition, according to the conventional art, it has been necessary for a user to designate the AV data to be transferred when transferring the AV data to a reproducing terminal apparatus. Accordingly, when viewing and listening to AV data which was transferred from a video recorder to a reproducing terminal apparatus at, for example, a user's destination, there has been a problem that the AV data which can be viewed and listened to is limited, and there is little flexibility.